SLC31-W1: Shop & Share Challenge - Visit a Small Local Shop

Madam Caro's store

“This local store may look small, but it provides variety of fresh and affordable food items that help solve the needs of people in the community”

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My shopping experience

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Visiting this store for the second time, I noticed so much this time, at first maybe I was in a hurry and never noticed. This local store is just at the street along the main town market. Everyone around there feels the woman sells fresh items and I didn't doubt it when I visited.

The woman as I was told is called “Madam Caro” who has been in this business for over 18 years. The freshness of her items was what drew my attention to her store. Looking at her veggies, you can tell how neat and green they appear leaving anyone no doubt to purchase. The yellow fresh pepper she sells were all tied in a transparent nylon and when I asked why, she said the pepper has this lovely scent and wouldn't want it to just waste, hahahaha so funny right? but that is her own unique way.

Her stock fish, periwinkle, Fish and other fresh items appeared so fresh without stain and at a glance, you would love to purchase.

Looking at her store form outside, it appears small, but it is a small but might store. She has variety of food stuffs. You don't need to pass-by, just ask for what you need because it might not be so visible for customers to see, but she has all perishable and non-perishable food items. The store also sells different local ingredients that are not always easy to find in supermarkets, which makes it a good spot for home cooking.

A selfie at her store

I was surprised too she sells dried African salad with it's potash. I jokingly told her that her store was just a local supermarket. I guess I should call it the last bus stop.

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Prices of items

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I finally engaged in a conversation with Madam Caro to find out how she buys and make her profit, well obviously she buys from the bush market where they buy in wholesale and this market is once in a week so she buys so many goods and then sells in an affordable price better than the main market.

In fact, that was where I did my shopping because I compared her prices with the current market price and get to find out that she sells way cheaper than them. I have just found myself a local store to shop all the time in an affordable rate. Her store represents culture, freshness and unity and that's why I love this store.

I bought vegetables, palm-oil, crayfish, onions, chicken stock

Items	Image	Price (#)	Steem price
Palm-oil, onions and chicken stock		2,500	18 steem
Vegetable		2,000	16 steem
Crayfish		1,500	10 steem

Other items include...

Some perishable items

	Non-perishable items

• Egusi (Melon)	#400 per cup	2.75 steem
• Stock fish	#1500	10 steem
• Dried fish	#2000	16 steem
• Fresh pepper	#200	1.47 steem
• Periwinkle	#500	3 steem
• Soup thickener	#200	1.47 steem
• Tomatoes	#1000	7 steem
• African salad	#1200	7.3 steem
• Spaghetti	#1000	7 steem

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My shopping observation

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Madam Caro's store

The atmosphere, the people, the surrounding left me peaceful. I felt at home, as if I had known her for ages. Her welcoming shout to draw customers sounds funny because she uses a local dialect to do that not minding if everyone understands or not.

It was noisy though but didn't give a displeasing look. She is customer friendly and would talk you into buying what you never budgeted. In all, the environment is warm and active.

I think the only thing she lacks is space which leave me to say that she needs expansion. Even though her store accommodate all her goods, but most times, she display some good right on the street which I feel isn't right and some goods are not visible either, because of space.

If she expands, she would have space for customers, space to display her goods but not on the street and then feel relaxed while arranging her market.

It feels embarrassing to know that she sometimes damage her goods when taskforce agents starts approaching their area. But with expansion, she doesn't need to have damaged goods.

Locations	Informations
Google map	https://maps.app.goo.gl/HXBYz6rWLPBWkSEs5
Location	Bariga market Lagos, Nigeria
Operating hours	Open 24 hours
Operating time	7am- 11pm
Availability	To everyone
Coordinate	6FR5G9PR+8R
Payment type	Cash and transfer
Socials	Not available
Steem atlas location	[//]:# (!steematlas 6.5358125 lat 3.3920625 long d3scr)